Steam-radiator



' (No Model.)

G. W. LLOYD.

STEAM RADIATOR. No. 369,863. Patented Sept. 13, 1887..

ing the necessary radiation.

PATENT FFlCEt GORDON W. LLOYD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

STEAM-RADIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,863, datedSeptember 13, 1887.

Application filed March 10, 1887. Serial No. 230,388. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GORDON W. LLOYD, of Detroit, in the county of Wayneand State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements inSteam-Radiators; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull,clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in theconstruction of steam-radiators of the class termed verticaltuberadiators.

The object of my invention is to prevent the efflux of water ofcondensation at any time from the radiator, such as is liable to occurwith all air-valves which are at present in general use; also to renderit impossible for a radiator to become air-bound at any time, and toaccomplish these ends by means which are contained within theradiator-tube itself, thereby forming a part of the structure thereof.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction and-location of avalve operated by flotation and expansion, in combination with the tubeof a vertical-tube radiator having an air-escape passage ator near itsupper end.

In the drawings which accompany this specification and form apartthereof, my invention is shown in sectional elevation, and therein Arepresents a vertical tube of a radiator, and B the base thereof, of anyof the known constructions, wherein steam is admitted into such base forfilling the vertical tubes and produc- An air-outlet, a, leads from nearthe top of the vertical tube to the atmosphere, and may be provided, ifdc sired, with a petcock, b, or similar equivalent device, for closingor opening such outlet.

0 is a metallic tube of a smaller diameter than the bore of theradiator-tube, and is preferably made of zinc, although I do not desireto confine myself to that metal. It is closed at top and bottom, and isso made that it will be impervious tothe entrance of steam or water andwill be air-tight, and it extends from the bottom of the steam-chamber Bnearly to the top of the vertical tube A of the radiator, and hassecured to its upper end a coil-spring, D, which latter carries upon itsfree end a valve, 0, adapted, when seated, to close the air-outletpassage.

In practice, the radiator being cold and steam admitted, such steam veryrapidly condenses, and when thus admitted the petcock of the radiator isopened to allow of the escape of air that maybe within the radiatortubesunder the steam-pressure. As condensation takes place, the tubes becomepartially filled with water, when the cylinder 0 is floated and expandedby the heat in a linear direction, and its valve will close the innerend of the steam-passage against the efflux of water at that point, suchwater passing off in the usual manner provided for such steam-radiators.As long as the radiator is kept hot by the constant inflow of steam, theexpansion of the cylinder G will always keep the inner end of theair-passage closed against the efflux of either water or steam at thatpoint.

The employment of the coil-spring D is for the double purpose ofincreasing the amount of linear expansion and compensating for theexcess of same, as any undue expansion of the cylinder would merely tendto further compress the spring.

I'Vhen the device is first put into operation, the confined air escapesfreely through the air-outlet at or near the top of the radiatortubesuntil condensed water is present in the radiator to an amount snfficicntto raise the cylinder or float C, until the valve on the end of thespring closes the air-outlet orifice until the water shall have passedaway in the usual means of circulation and allows the steam to enter.Under the action of the steam the cylinder now expands in a lineardirection,thereby causing the valve 0 to seat itself and prevent theescape of steam.

The use of a device of this character in combination with verticalradiator-tubes will be found very beneficiaLas the air-outlet passagewill be automatically controlled at all times when the device is inoperation, and no evil result will occurfrom carelessness in leaving thepetcock open, the use of which will become entirely optional.

WVhat I claim as my invention is- In combination with aninclosing-t'ube, A, provided with an air-outlet, a, cylinder-float O,closed at top and bottom and provided with a spring, D, and valve 0, theparts being constructed, arranged, and operating substantially in themanner and for the purposes specified.

GORDON W. LLOYD. \Vitnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, T. E. .RoBERrsoN.

